New requirements starting on June 28, 2025, mark a step forward in digital inclusion across Europe, with all companies having to ensure that their new digital products and services are accessible. That is quite a leap from the 2020 regulation where accessibility was mandated for private companies whose annual turnover exceeded € 500 million. The change in store promises to tear down all barriers in the digital world, offering unprecedented inclusion to those who have been excluded thus far.
The amplitude of this change is amazing, considering that one in four Europeans lives with some kind of disability according to Eurostat. Thus, investing in accessibility is not only one way to answer the demands of this new regulation but also an opportunity to extend one’s audience, capturing that quite underserved and diverse marketplace. Also, making content more accessible to all increases user experiences and may improve search engine ranking, and consequently, online visibility.
Accessible solutions offer the business entity a double opportunity: to show real social responsibility and improve competitiveness in the digital market. Meeting the 2025 deadline means it is not only a regulatory obligation but also a strategic decision, which can be immediately transformed into new competitive advantages.
Web accessibility extends beyond permanent disabilities to encompass temporary or contextual situations. Assistive technologies, such as screen readers, are crucial for many users but require properly designed websites to function effectively. Notably, 46% of adults in the United States regularly use voice assistants, highlighting the importance of accessible interfaces even for users without declared disabilities.
Web accessibility means practices and guidelines for ensuring equal access to content on the web for people with temporary or permanent disabilities. According to ISO 9241-11, the definition of accessibility is that a product, system, service, environment, and facility can be used by the whole population with diversity in their needs, characteristics, and capabilities to accomplish a certain goal with a particular context of use. Thus, the notion goes beyond permanent impairments to temporary or situational conditions, such as injuries or using mobile devices while in noisy environments.
Accessibility deals with accessible website and application development on the part of visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive disabled persons.
Not only are permanent disabilities part of web accessibility, but temporary and contextual situations are also important. Many have to rely on assistive technologies like screen readers; once more, they can only do their job when the website allows it. Surprisingly, 46% of regular adults in the US use voice assistants, meaning again that accessible interfaces do matter for people without declared disabilities. Since 2020, the EU legally requires that companies in the private sector, with turnover of greater than €500 million, apply sanctions for non-implementation of digital accessibility. Sanctions can be given to companies at up to 5% of their turnover. From 28th June 2025, all private companies – independent from their size – come under this regulation, and all new digital products and services provided should, therefore, be accessible.
WCAG Guidelines
The European legislation refers to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines as a guide for ensuring accessibility. This is the international reference standard, and the basis of its guidelines are the following four important principles:
- Content should be perceivable by the senses, through methods that the users can perceive, independent of sensory capabilities. This includes:
- Providing text alternatives for non-text content
- Offering captions and transcripts for multimedia
- Ensuring sufficient colour contrast
- Enabling text resizing without loss of functionality
- Operable interface components and navigation must be operable by all users. Key aspects include:
- Full keyboard accessibility
- Clear error feedback in forms
- Adjustable timeout options
- Properly labelled interactive elements
- Understandable content and interface operation must be comprehensible. This encompasses:
- Clear and straightforward language
- Consistent navigation and functionality
- Clear instructions for complex features
- Predictable interface behaviour
- Robust content must be interpretable by various user agents and assistive technologies. This involves:
- Proper semantic HTML markup
- Cross-platform compatibility testing
- Regular updates and maintenance
- Text alternatives for complex content
Business benefits of compliance
Web accessibility represents a unique convergence of legal obligations, ethical responsibility, and business opportunity. The 2025 deadline marks a crucial milestone in digital inclusion, but forward-thinking organisations should view this as an opportunity rather than a burden.
- Market expansion: implementing accessibility measures can increase potential customer reach by 25%. This includes users with permanent disabilities and those temporarily disadvantaged by circumstances or environment.
- SEO and Online visibility: accessible websites typically perform better in Search Engine rankings, as they align with Google’s preferences for well-structured, navigable content.
- Reputation and customer loyalty: demonstrating commitment to inclusion enhances corporate reputation and fosters customer loyalty. Brands showing strong social responsibility increasingly attract and retain customers who value inclusivity.
Conclusion
The time to act is now. Companies that begin their accessibility journey today will be better positioned to:
- meet regulatory requirements confidently
- develop expertise and best practices
- build competitive advantages
- establish market leadership
- create sustainable digital experiences
In essence, Web accessibility is no longer optional but fundamental to digital success. It represents an opportunity to create more inclusive, effective, and successful digital experiences that benefit all users while driving business growth and innovation.
